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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29662800">There's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaphiyasRevenge/pseuds/SaphiyasRevenge'>SaphiyasRevenge</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftermath of Torture, Bucky is an awesome matchmaker, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Hydra (Marvel), Idiots in Love, Jealousy, Kidnapping, Misunderstandings, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Steve Rogers being an ass because he's scared, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Unplanned Pregnancy, but he really needs a hug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:54:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,738</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29662800</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaphiyasRevenge/pseuds/SaphiyasRevenge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The whole world thinks Captain America is perfect- except for Aadya, the newest addition to the team.<br/>Follow the two idiots in love, with Hydra always lurking behind the corner.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers &amp; Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Sometimes I think you like getting punched - Bucky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Steve follows the rules, but when they don't suit his plans, he makes his own.<br/>Bucky always scolded him for his recklessness, but it never stuck.</p><p>Years later, the star-spangled man gets a taste of his own medicine when the Lone Wolf joins the team.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>&lt;&lt;This is unacceptable!&gt;&gt; Steve bellowed, almost kicking the meeting room door open, rage etched on his features.</p><p>Behind him followed Aadya, the newest member of the Avengers, also known as Lone Wolf.</p><p>Her black hair was still perfectly straight, though it was slightly grimy from various explosions; so was her dark leotard, which she kept dusting every now and then.</p><p>She was no superhuman, but she was still a valuable resource for the group- a badass agent through and through.</p><p> </p><p>It looked like rolling her eyes was one of her powers, so annoyed was she at the Captain’s outburst.</p><p>It was the first one of the day, but not the first of the week, or month: she and Steve had been butting heads ever since she joined the team, while the other Avengers made bets on who would win the arguments each time.</p><p>The bets were also beginning to escalate, since the tension was progressively rising. Who would triumph in a hand-to-hand fight?</p><p> </p><p>Let’s just say that not even the Central Bank could boast a more proficient turnover.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;For goodness’s sake, Steve, nothing happened! Stop making such a big deal out of it!&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Nothi- Nothing happened?!&gt;&gt; He exploded &lt;&lt;You ventured inside the Hydra base even though I specifically told you to wait for my orders!&gt;&gt;</p><p>The female rolled her eyes again, sighing theatrically</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yes, I did, but my plan went well in the end&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;You pl- You didn’t have a plan!&gt;&gt; The older agent shouted, his face growing red &lt;&lt;You just winged it, like you always do!&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Tony chuckled under his breath, observing the scene</p><p>&lt;&lt;Looks like Capsicle’s about to blow&gt;&gt;</p><p>Clint shrugged</p><p>&lt;&lt;I don’t see why he’s always so mad at her&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;You’re really blind, Birdbrain&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Shut up you-&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;I completed my mission!&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I’m just saying that if you want to wing it, go be an improviser! There’s no place for hot-heads here!&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Bucky snorted. He was just about to reprimand his friend, but Aadya beat him to it</p><p>&lt;&lt;Oh, you’re the one to talk!&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;What’s that supposed to mean?&gt;&gt; The blond hissed</p><p>&lt;&lt;You don’t get to act all high and mighty with me! You are the walking, talking, living definition of hothead, Mr! Don’t try to deny it!&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Huh.</p><p>The brown-haired super soldier snickered: he’d always liked that girl. She never took shit from anyone, not even the sainted and revered Captain America.</p><p>The very same guy who snuck alone inside Schmidt’s base to free him and other soldiers, defying his general’s orders, was giving someone a lecture about recklessness. Talk about hypocrisy</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;I always abide by the rules&gt;&gt;</p><p>No, he didn’t</p><p>&lt;&lt;And I do not endanger my teammates with my actions!&gt;&gt; Steve bellowed.</p><p>Well, Bucky snorted… That was debatable.</p><p> </p><p>Aadya flew into a rage. Despite the height difference, she looked every bit as intimidating as the blue-eyed super-soldier.</p><p>They all knew he’d hit a sensitive topic: she was incredibly loyal and devoted to each one of them- yes, even the Captain himself. Perhaps, she cared more about him than about the others…</p><p>At that moment though, it looked like she would enjoy nothing more than to clobber him with a sledgehammer</p><p>&lt;&lt;Our teammates can also be endangered by indecisiveness!&gt;&gt; She growled.</p><p> </p><p>Steve froze, as did all the other Avengers.</p><p>Aadya too had hit a sore spot, and she knew it. She did not know just how sore though…</p><p>But it was made clear soon enough</p><p>&lt;&lt;That’s it; you’re out of the team&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gasps of horror echoed among the others, but the two contestants were too busy glaring at each other</p><p>&lt;&lt;What?&gt;&gt; Aadya snapped</p><p>&lt;&lt;You heard me: you’re out of the team&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Silence fell in the room.</p><p>All the eyes were fixed on the Lone Wolf.</p><p>Everybody expected her to be furious, to lambast him… To have some sort of reaction. Instead, all the fury was suddenly wiped from her face and she just muttered</p><p>&lt;&lt;Fine&gt;&gt;</p><p>Spinning on her heels to walk out of the room, while the other agents stepped away to let her through.</p><p> </p><p>They just… They just couldn’t believe what was happening.</p><p>Nevertheless, the most stricken one was Captain America himself.</p><p>From up close, he’d seen all the emotions fighting in her eyes while her countenance grew colder: disbelief, indignation, rage and… Pain.</p><p>A lot of pain. Much more than he would have expected.</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t actually mean those words, he was just mad…</p><p>Damn, he was hotheaded alright.</p><p>Deep down he knew that she was right, and he was just being unreasonable… After all, their job was anything but safe, and things went awry most of the time, no matter how prepared they might have been.</p><p>Fuck, why did he have to be such an asshole?</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;Steve…&gt;&gt; His best friend called</p><p>&lt;&lt;What?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;You’ve been too harsh on her&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I- I- It’s not my fault! She has to learn to obey her superiors!&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Why was he still going with that?</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;Still&gt;&gt; Tony piped up &lt;&lt;Kicking her out is way past the limit&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yeah. She’s one of SHIELD’s best recruits&gt;&gt; Natasha sighed &lt;&lt;I mean, Fury recommended her himself!&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Besides, you know she is right&gt;&gt; Bucky scolded &lt;&lt;You are the king of hotheads, and you just proved her point&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>That was true.</p><p>That was so fucking true.</p><p>He bowed his head shamefully, silently agreeing with them.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The sound of doors slamming caught everyone’s attention, and they turned in that direction</p><p>&lt;&lt;Mr Stark?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yes, Jarvis&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Miss Larrence wants to inform you that she will send you the report on the mission via email. She also asked me to tell Mr Rogers to “fuck off” and “go sit on a cactus”&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Despite how sombre the situation was, no one could hold back their laughter- except Mr Rogers, of course</p><p>&lt;&lt;Harsh&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;She’s spunky&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Oh for crying out loud-&gt;&gt;</p><p>Before his companions could even turn around to look at him, he ran out of the room, looking for the feisty brunette.</p><p>He had to find her immediately.</p><p> </p><p>Thanking Erskin for his serum -he was certain he’d never run that fast, not even on missions- Steve darted through the corridors.</p><p>Luckily, he spotted her just as she was about to walk inside her room</p><p>&lt;&lt;Aadya!&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>She did not even turn to look at him</p><p>&lt;&lt;Aadya!&gt;&gt; He panted.</p><p><br/>
With one last sprint he managed to grab her by the arm before she vanished behind the door.</p><p>At that point she did look at him; there was so much hatred in her eyes that he balked, but he did not let her go</p><p>&lt;&lt;What the fuck do you want, asshole?&gt;&gt; She snarled.</p><p>He was kind of intimidated, and very repentant</p><p>&lt;&lt;I… I’m sorry, I was out of line. But you need to understand that-&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;No, <em>you </em>need to understand&gt;&gt; The woman barked, poking him in the chest &lt;&lt;You’re taking away everything from me.</p><p>This is not just a job to me, this is my life. My <em>family</em>&gt;&gt;</p><p>He sucked in a breath, feeling worse and worse as she went on</p><p>&lt;&lt;I don’t have parents or siblings, or any other relative waiting for me at home. Heck, I don’t even have a home.</p><p>Well, I did, up to ten minutes ago&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Aadya-&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;And you’re taking it away&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes were glazed over. Fuck.</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;So thank you, Rogers. Thank you for being such an asshole&gt;&gt;</p><p>The agent shook her arm out of his grasp, doing her best to hold back her tears</p><p>&lt;&lt;I’m sorry, but you have to listen to me! You can’t question your superior’s orders during missions!&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Don’t give me that crap&gt;&gt; The female hissed.</p><p>&lt;&lt;Aad-&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>He tried to reach for her again, but she thrust-kicked him in the chest, sending him flying against the wall. He could have blocked the attack, but it was so unexpected…</p><p>&lt;&lt;You are not my superior, oh great star-spangled man with a plan.</p><p>Touch me one more time and you’ll be seeing stars for the next two weeks, and I’m not talking about the ones on your uniform&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Steve sat up with a groan, massaging the spot where she’d hit him; he had to admit, she was a force to be reckoned with</p><p>&lt;&lt;I… I…&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;You, you, you… It’s always you. Well, fuck <em>you</em>, Steve Rogers&gt;&gt; The brunette snapped, putting on her sunglasses &lt;&lt;I hope to never see you again&gt;&gt;</p><p>That said, she shut the door with a bang.</p><p>The Captain stayed put, leaning against the wall. There was an ache in his chest, but it was not due to her hit. Unfortunately, it was due to his idiotic behaviour…</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Later in the evening, in the living room, the team -minus Aadya- was having a chat</p><p>&lt;&lt;Man, I saw the video: she got you pretty good, didn’t she?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Stark, drop it&gt;&gt; Steve groaned from the couch.</p><p>The billionaire chuckled</p><p>&lt;&lt;There’s a dent in the wall where you hit it, Rogers. I guess what’s actually wounded is your ego though, more than your body&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I still don’t understand why you were so rough with her, dude&gt;&gt; Sam sighed, sitting beside the blond &lt;&lt;Sure, she is rash, but she is also very reliable and an extremely good agent&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I know&gt;&gt; The other man groaned, hiding his face in his hands</p><p>&lt;&lt;Then why don’t you cut her some slack?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;It’s cause he likes her&gt;&gt; Tony cackled, sipping his coffee.</p><p> </p><p>The Captain flinched, almost as if he’d been hit -again-</p><p>&lt;&lt;What?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Oh, don’t give me that crap, Capsicle. You like her, and you know it&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Steve’s face grew redder than the stripes on his shield</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;Cap… Is it true?&gt;&gt; Sam asked</p><p>&lt;&lt;I…&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I have to side with Stark on this one&gt;&gt; Bucky announced &lt;&lt;You like her, and it’s incredibly obvious&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>The poor man blushed even more</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;Wow, Frosty agrees with me!&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Sod off, Stark&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;You know, Steve&gt;&gt; Natasha soothed &lt;&lt;You should go apologise. She’d appreciate that&gt;&gt;</p><p>He nodded weakly</p><p>&lt;&lt;Is she… Is she still in her room?&gt;&gt;</p><p>His voice was barely a whisper</p><p>&lt;&lt;Mh, let’s see… Jarvis?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yes, Mr Stark?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Is the Lone Wolf still cooped up in her room?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;No&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Steve could have sworn his heart missed a beat</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;In the training room?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;No&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>The apprehension rose even more</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;The kitchen, then?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;No, Mr Stark; Miss Larrence has left the building permanently&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>And then all the hopes shattered.</p><p>Everybody looked at the Captain, whose expression was horrified</p><p>&lt;&lt;No, that’s- that’s impossible&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Mr Rogers, I’m afraid Miss Larrence was simply following your directives&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;But I didn’t- I didn’t mean it!&gt;&gt; He cried out, almost pulling his hair out &lt;&lt;It was just something I said-&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;In the heat of the moment?&gt;&gt; Tony provided, and Steve acknowledged the hit.</p><p> </p><p>He <em>was</em> the walking, talking, living definition of hothead, and he was also the walking, talking, living definition of asshole.</p><p>Gosh, he felt horrible…</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;I swear, I didn’t mean it… I didn’t mean it…&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;We’re not the ones you’re supposed to tell that to, Cap&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I know! But how do I find her now?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;We’ll help you, pal&gt;&gt; Bucky reassured, patting his best friend’s back &lt;&lt;It will be ok, you’ll see&gt;&gt;</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. You've been asleep, Captain. For almost seventy years - Fury</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was <em>not </em>ok.</p><p> </p><p>Three years.</p><p>Three damn years during which Aadya had simply disappeared into thin air.</p><p>No matter how many efforts the team made to find her, and they did -though they couldn’t put SHIELD’s operations on halt just for that- try, the black-haired woman was simply untraceable.</p><p>It seemed her training stuck with her. Well, she’d been trained by the Avengers themselves.</p><p>It was just another proof of just how good she was- as if Steve didn’t know already.</p><p>Fury had been deeply displeased upon finding out that the Captain had given her the slip, but that didn’t matter in the face of Steve’s own feelings.</p><p>The man was a wreck. He spent the days in between missions holed up in his room or in the gym, destroying punching bag after punching bag, to the point where Tony had to build a section specifically for him- which he still managed to destroy.</p><p>He just couldn’t get Aadya’s face out of his mind: he could see the tears in her eyes, the pain in her expression when he told her she had to leave…</p><p>He didn’t actually think she would do it: she never, <em>ever </em>obeyed him.</p><p>He didn’t mean it, he didn’t mean any of the things he’d said…</p><p> </p><p>But she didn’t know that. As Bucky had pointed out, “you’re out of the team” means “you’re out of the team”, not “I’m an idiot who likes you, who’s worried about you but doesn’t know how to tell you so I shout at you”.</p><p>And he did like her, so much that he had not forgotten her after three years. It wasn’t just guilt, or shame… He loved her.</p><p>Captain America was in love, and he’d lost the woman he loved because he couldn’t keep his cool.</p><p> </p><p>He felt like punching a wall.</p><p>Well, good thing they were going on another mission: he could take his rage out on Hydra’s underlings.</p><p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;Abort mission! Abort, abort!&gt;&gt;</p><p>That was the last thing Steve heard through his intercom, before a strong hit to the head made him lose consciousness.</p><p> </p><p>He woke up some time later, groaning when harsh cold light hit his eyes. However, when he tried to sit up, he noticed the restraints tied around his wrists and ankles, securing him to what looked like a laboratory slab.</p><p>Promising</p><p>&lt;&lt;Captain America&gt;&gt; A male voice with a thick Russian accent called him, announcing a sturdy but small man who was walking toward him &lt;&lt;Welcome to our Hydra facility&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I don’t feel very welcome, for some reason&gt;&gt; Steve spat sarcastically, causing his captor to laugh</p><p>&lt;&lt;I understand perfectly. Perhaps it would be nice of us to give you a preview of our activities? Just to ease you in; you will be staying here a long time&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I don’t think so&gt;&gt; The blond growled &lt;&lt;My teammates will get me out&gt;&gt;</p><p>The short man laughed again; there was an aura of arrogance about him that Steve wanted to wipe from his face with a powerful kick.</p><p>Unfortunately, things didn’t look so well for him at the moment.</p><p>One of the lab technicians held a syringe in his hand: it was filled with a strange, greenish liquid, and it looked entirely unsafe.</p><p>No, things did not look well for him at all</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;Oh, are you talking about your friend, the Winter Soldier?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;That’s not his name&gt;&gt; He hissed.</p><p>The other man chuckled diabolically</p><p>&lt;&lt;It is, and I will show that to you in a while: as soon as they’re done wiping him again&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Steve faltered.</p><p>Apparently the horror on his face was evident, since the deranged scientist cackled again</p><p>&lt;&lt;Oh yes, he’s just in the next room&gt;&gt; He goaded, taking the syringe from his underling and bringing it close to Steve’s elbow &lt;&lt;They will be done in a while; he will be your mentor in training! Isn’t that just fantastic?&gt;&gt;</p><p>An umpteenth, blood-curdling laugh resounded while the needle penetrated the super-soldier’s skin. He got ready to fight, adamant on saving his best friend from going through that terrible experience again, but something beat him to it.</p><p>Someone, rather</p><p>&lt;&lt;вернись сюда, солдат!&gt;&gt; Hydra handlers shouted.</p><p>To no avail</p><p>&lt;&lt;Bucky?&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Steve began to feel groggy, but not enough to miss the black-clad figure who was messing up the laboratory. Among Russian cussing and shouting, the blur he identified as Bucky beat all the Hydra agents to within an inch of their life.</p><p>The last thing he saw was that very same figure approach him, knocking out the last agent with a kick before trying to set him free.</p><p>Then, he passed out.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Once again, Steve let out a groan when he woke up, shielding his eyes from the dim light that came from a lamp on the bedside table.</p><p>Wait, bedside table?</p><p>He hastily set up, though he regretted it immediately when his head spun. He was immensely thankful for the aspirin and glass of water someone had left on the table, which he downed in a split second; sure, he probably should have thought about it twice, considering he didn’t know where he was, but he was still too woozy to think straight.</p><p>Slowly, carefully, he tried to stand up, smiling softly when he succeeded. The next step was to walk toward the mirror, where he took stock of the situation: there was a cut on his cheek, various bruises on his shoulders a few scratches but, all in all, he felt fine.</p><p>The bandage around his elbow didn’t escape his notice either.</p><p>Someone had patched him up. Interesting.</p><p> </p><p>It couldn’t be a Hydra agent.</p><p>Was this a SHIELD lair he didn’t know about? It was possible, but improbable: if that were the case, he would be swarmed by nurses and doctors, while Fury and Maria Hill went on and on about the risks he’d run.</p><p>Where the hell was he?</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;Steve&gt;&gt; A soft voice called him, somewhere in the closet. As soon as he opened it, he was relieved to see a friendly face</p><p>&lt;&lt;Buck&gt;&gt; He breathed happily, hugging the other man</p><p>&lt;&lt;I’m so happy to see you&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Me too, pal. Me too&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I thought you were still in Hydra’s clutches&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;What?&gt;&gt; The older super soldier pulled away in confusion</p><p>&lt;&lt;Thank you for saving me, by the way&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I didn’t save you, Steve&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;You didn’t? I’m not in one of SHIELD’s bases?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;No, bud. We’re still trying to understand who’s behind this. Come on, let’s go join the others&gt;&gt;</p><p>Bucky offered Steve his arm, which the blond gladly accepted</p><p>&lt;&lt;Whoever it is, he or she rescued me and took care of me, so it cannot be an ene-&gt;&gt;</p><p>They froze on the spot.</p><p>The entire team was gathered in what looked like a living room, staring agape at something at the top of the staircase; they seemed to be disconcerted.</p><p>Puzzled by the scene, the two friends let their gazes trail up the steps, higher and higher, until they realised the reason behind the Avengers’ bafflement.</p><p>Up there, observing them all, stood a young woman, probably in her late twenties. She had short black hair that reached her ear, impeccably styled in a straight bob with side bangs; her coal-black eyes glistened with mirth, while her plump red lips were slightly curved upward.</p><p>Her attire consisted in a pair of combat boots, dark ripped jeans and a band t-shirt.</p><p>There was something familiar about her, and yet… He just couldn’t pinpoint what it was.</p><p>It seemed his companions already had though</p><p>&lt;&lt;Oh, look who we have here: Sleeping Beauty woke up from her slumber&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>That voice.</p><p>It made his heart skip a beat.</p><p>He knew that voice. His gut shouted the answer, but his mind just wouldn’t listen…</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;We’re honoured to have you here, princess&gt;&gt; The woman chuckled sultrily, brushing her bangs out of her face with black-lacquered fingers.</p><p>At that point, Steve could no longer doubt the accuracy of his reading.</p><p>That girl was the one and only-</p><p>&lt;&lt;Aadya&gt;&gt; He exhaled, astonished.</p><p>With a giggle, the former SHIELD agent stepped closer to the flight of stairs, but she didn’t walk down, oh no. She glided down the handrail.</p><p>Quite fast at that.</p><p>Worried, many team members stepped forward to catch her when she fell, but something they couldn’t have foreseen happened: a part of the handrail moved, detaching itself from the main structure.</p><p>She softly landed on it, and the small platform floated to the ground, letting her skip to the floor unarmed. After that, it returned to its original position.</p><p> </p><p>If possible, the team was even more impressed</p><p>&lt;&lt;Oh, come on guys. Close your mouths, you’ll catch flies&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;A- Aadya?&gt;&gt;</p><p><br/>The girl giggled, grinning at Sam</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yes, Sammy-boy, it’s me. Are you happy to see me?&gt;&gt;</p><p>In response, the Falcon ran to hug the Lone Wolf, making her laugh</p><p>&lt;&lt;It’s been three years! Of course I’m happy to see you!&gt;&gt;</p><p>She hugged right back, beaming with happiness. After that she greeted every single one of them, with the exception of Bucky and Steve.</p><p>The latter suspected she would straight-up ignore him, barely sparing him a “hello”. Didn’t she save him though?<br/>He was thoroughly confused.</p><p>And yet… He couldn’t deny the way butterflies had swarmed his stomach had as soon as he’d seen her. His subconscious immediately recognised her, while he…</p><p>He was a lost cause. But he liked her, that he knew</p><p> </p><p>&lt;&lt;You have an AI system?&gt;&gt; Tony questioned, intrigued</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yes, I do. Chase?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yes, ma’am?&gt;&gt;</p><p>She squealed adorably when the robotic voice answered, obviously happy with her work</p><p>&lt;&lt;Introduce yourself to my friends. I have to go to my room&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;What? Why?&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I have to run some errands. You guys make yourselves at home.</p><p>The infirmary is the third door on the left, Bruce; better take care of the shithead, though I already did almost everything&gt;&gt; She smiled kindly at the doctor.</p><p>In the back, Steve huffed: she was still upset.</p><p>Well, what did he expect? Not only had he never apologised, but he still had not forgiven himself either. How was <em>she</em> supposed to?</p><p>He’d been an asshole, there was no point sugarcoating it, but he regretted it so much.</p><p>Not that she would believe him though.</p><p> </p><p>With a sigh, the blond man observed her disappear somewhere in the corridor, while the AI introduced himself as the “Coolest Home Automation System Ever”, making Tony snort, though he admitted she’d done a “good enough job”.</p><p>Somehow she heard him, and she shouted</p><p>&lt;&lt;Supreme, Stark: supreme!&gt;&gt;</p><p>Making the entire team laugh.</p><hr/><p>Since she wasn't coming out, Bruce told Steve to follow him in the infirmary, just for a checkup.</p><p>While he did, glancing around curiously, he heard Tony and Natasha discuss</p><p>&lt;&lt;No use going back now, Hydra’s probably still on our trail&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yes, I agree. We should stay here for the night, just to be safe&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;I’m sure Larrence has some kind of defence set up&gt;&gt;</p><p>&lt;&lt;Yeah, most probably. We just need to wait&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>The millionaire harrumphed, calling for everyone’s attention</p><p>&lt;&lt;Alright folks, listen up! We’re staying here for the night Go choose a room!&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>Clint and Sam shared a look. Not even ten seconds later they were sprinting up the stairs, yelling</p><p>&lt;&lt;Dibs on the top bunk!&gt;&gt;</p><p> </p><p>The Black Widow sighed</p><p>&lt;&lt;It will be a long night&gt;&gt;</p><p>Steve agreed with her, but not because of the bickering toddlers. His mind was fretting over Aadya, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he knew she was safe- preferably, in his arms.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is part of a writing challenge I participated in on Tumblr. The prompt was “Touch me one more time and you’ll be seeing stars for the next two weeks, and I’m not talking about the ones on your uniform”.</p><p>The chapter titles are quotes from movies Steve is featured in. However, since I haven't seen them in English, there could be some mistakes in the translation, but I'm open to corrections</p></blockquote></div></div>
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